Control of electrically-operated switches.



E. R,- CARICHOPF. CONTROL OF ELEGTRIGALLY OPERATED SWITCHES.

APPLIGATIQN FILED AUGJZ, 1910.

1,089,820. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Witnesss I inve ntor'z El geneR: r-ichof'f, 7 e L; I

H is aqtt or ne UNITED srnrss linirENT orat on EUGENE 'R. cARIcHorr, or soHENEo'Tsn'r', NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR- To GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A oonronn'rion or new YORK.

CONTROL OF ELECTRICALLY-UPERATED SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters .Patent. Patented 131 10, 191.1

Application filed August 12, 191i). Serial No. 576,927.

To allfwhomi it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EUGENE'B. Camcrrorr, .a citize g, of theuUnited States, residing at Schenec any, county of Schenectady, Stateor "New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Controi of Electrically-()perated. Switches, of which the following isa specification;

'Myi. inventiornrelates to .the control of electricallyoperated switches, and particularly to'the controhof a plurality of such switches or "cont actors intendedfor operation in succession. A plurality of succesered as an lmprovement on a system of control for electrically operated switches cov ered by a atent inithe. name of Archibald Sa-Gubi-tt', 0. 941,408, dated November 30, l909,'commonly referred to as a -v two-wire notching control system.

One of the particular impr v P Q- vided by the present invention resides in an arrangement whereby one of the'auxiliary switches on each of the successively operating eontactors is done away with.

Another improvement resides in a particular construction of notching'Yrelay mechanism. v

To the above end, my invention comprises in generala system of controifor a plurality of c ontactors in which a two wirenotching relay mechanism is provided wlth means for effecting the alternate interruption and completion of the circuits through the actuating magnets of the relay mechanism, thereby rendering unnecessary auxiliary switcheson the contactors for "this purpose.

My invention further comprises an arrangement-0f field structure in the notchingrelay mechanism such that but one series or:

motor current coil is necessary, and such that the current value at which .the series coil maintains the contacts of the relay mechanism open may be easily adjusted.

The drawing shows in a diagrammatic manner an automatic motor starter of. the

contactor type having my invention embodied thereln. It is, of course, to be'under stood that this system is merely illustrative and that my invention may be used ina great many different arrangements of motor control apparatus.

In the drawing, the source of current is indicated-at T, T the motor to be con trolled at M, and the starting resistance at B R and R L is the contactor which connects the motor to the source through all of the starting resistance, and'contactors l, 2 and 3 serve to short-circuit the sections of resistance R R and B. One terminal of the actuating coil 5 of the contactor L is connected to the negative source T through the return wire 9, and each of the actuating coilsfth] and 8 of the contactors 1, 2 and 3 is connected to said return wire 9 through auxiliary contacts on the previous contactor, which con.

tacts are closed when said contactor, is

closed. Each contactor except. the last, therefore, in closing closes switch contacts located in the circuit of the'actuating coil of the succeeding contacton The other ends of the actuating coils of the contactors 1 and '3 are connected to an actuating, wire'll,

while the other end of the actuating coils of the contactors L and 2 are connected to an actuating wire 12, through an auxiliary switch 13 on the contactor 3- opened by said contact-Orin closing. a The alternate energization of the actuating wires 11 and- 12 is effected by the twowire 'notching relay mechanism O, which will now be-.described. This relay mechanism is provided with two sets of contacts 0 and 0" located, respectively, in actuating circuits 11 and 12, said contacts being-closed when the actuating coils of the relay mechanism are unenergize'd. The movable elements of the contacts 0 and o are carried by rods 15 and 16, which carry cores 17 and '18 of magnetic material,-arran ed for movement within the magnetic fiel produced by actuating coils 19'and 20, connected, re-v spectively, through the contacts dafnd the contacts 0. series coil 21 connected in the motor circuit also produces a magnetic fiei which acts upon the magnet cores Hand 18, the flux produced by the coils 19, 20 and 21 being given a, path of low reluctance by means .of the iron magnet frames 23 and 2d, arranged as shown. The path of the fiui;

produced by the series coil 21 is further' improved by the core ct magnetic material which 1s made adpistable in the frame 2 1 by being screwed therein, as clearly lever pivoted at 27, having arms 28 and 29 adapted to be engaged by the rods 15 and 16 2c in their upward movement. The arm 30 of the bell-crank lever serves as a movable switch member andengages with fixed con' tact clips 31 and 32 connected respectively through wires 33 and 3a to the coils 19 and 20,

The contact member is connected through a wire 35 and a master switch K to the positive side of the source. The wire 36 also is connected to the positive side of the source through switch K, and serves as a 30 maintaining wire by being connected through the resistances r and r with the actuating wires 11 and '12. In the operation of the notching relay mechanism the up ward movement of the rods 15 and 16 causes 35 the double bell-crank lever to be thrown first to one side and then the other, thereby alternately connecting the contact clips 31 and 32 to the positive sidev of the source through switch K. p This lever is constructed 40 to make contact on 32 beforebreaking on 31,

and vice versa.

If desired, the notching relay mechanism may be given a time limit and for this purpose I have shown dash pots having 4.5 their cylinders 38 and 39 connected to the rods 15 and 16, respectively, the pistons 4L0 and 4:1 being connected by rods 43 and 14. to the fixed abutment 15. The connection be tween the rods 4C8 and't and the abutment 5o 45 should be alost-motion one, such as that indicated-in the drawing, in which said rods are provided with collars which engage the i Xed abutment &5 on its upper andlower sides, the rods being arranged to slide freely through holes in said abutment. The cyl.in'

ders ot' the dash-pots are provided with valves 17 and '18 which allow air to escape from above-the pist'ons, as will be apparent from the drawing. Tn the arrangement shown, therefore, the dash-pots do not interfere with the initial upward movement of the rods and 16 carrying the movable members of the contacts 0 and 0, but do retard the further upward movement of said or" the source.

cuit from vtle positive side of the soars through the switch H, wire contact memnosaeao rods and thereby delay the operxtion of the switch member 30. The contacts 0 and 0 are not delayed, therefore, in their opening movement by the dash-pots.

The mode of operation of the system shown in the diagram is as follows: All the contactors being open and the motor being at rest, when the switch K is closed current will flow from the positive side of the source through-said switch, wire 35, switch member 30, contact clip 31, wire 33, coil 19, contacts 0, actuating wire 12 and through actuating coil 5 of the contactor L to the negative side The contactor L will, therefore, close and the motor circuit will be completed through all of the resistance R R and R WVhen the coil 19 is energized and prior to or coincident with the closing of the contac tor L, the core 17 will move upwardly, thereby immediately opening the contacts 0 located in the circuit with the actuating wire 11. The last part of the upward movement of the rod 15 attached to the core 17 is retarded by the dash-pot cooperating with it as hereinbefore explained, but eventually the rod 15 engages with the arm 28 of the double bell-crank lever and throws the contact member 30 from engagement with the contact clip 31 into engagement with the contact clip 32. This will immediately result in interrupting the connection of the wire with the positive side of the source and in the deenergization of the coil 19 and the actuating wire 12. The actuating coil 5 01 the contactor L, however, is provided with sufiicient current to maintain said contact orclosed, through the maintaining circuit which may be traced from the switch K, through'the wire 36 and the resistance 1. Upon the deenergization of the coil 19 its cooperating core 17 will be free to drop unless it is maintained in its upper position by the magnetizing effect of the series coil 21 connected in the motor circuit. This coil 21 is so designed and the air gap between the movable core 25 and the magnet frame 23 is so adjusted that the cores 17 and 18 will be magnetically held in their upper .posi ion as long as the current in the motor circuit exceeds a certain value. It, therefore, after completion of the motor circuit by closing oi the contactor L the current in said. circuit exceeds the value just mentioned, the core 1? will be held inits raised position and the c" ber 30, contact clip 32, wire 3 1- and coil 20 will be n'iterrupted at the contacts 0, and the actuating wire 11 will not be energized, although the negative side 01' the actuating coil 6 of contactor 1 has been. connected to the negative side of the source through auze iliary contacts on the contacto'r L. The contactor 1 will, therefore, not be closed until incense ately closed, thereby completing the actuating' circuit just traced for the actuating coil 6 of the contactor 1 and causing said contactor, to close, w hich results in short-circuiting the section of resistance Prior to or coincident with the closing of the' contactor' 1, t l1e c ore 18 is attracted in anupward direction by the coil 20 and the contacts 0 are opened, exactly as in the case of the other contacts 0 ofthe relay as just described. The actuating circuit 12 will not he energized immediately, therefore," when the contactmember 30 is thrown out of engagement with the contact clip 32 and back into ena'gement with the contact clip 31 byv the nal upward movementof the core 18 and the-rod' .16..' 'The cont-actor 1. will be'maintaiiied inits closed position by current received through the maintaining wire 36 and resistancefr similarly to the manner in which'thecontactor L is maintained. It the closing ofthe'contactor 1 results in increasing the motor current to or above the value at which the coil 2 10f the relay is effective, the core 18 will beheld inits upper position, and the contacts of'iwill, not close until the speeding up of the'motor has reduced the motor curren When this happens the con.- tacts 0 close and the actuating wire 12 is reenergized' as before, thereby causing closing of the contactor 2 owing to theenergization of actuating coil 7 which is connected to said wire. In the further operation'of the sys tem the actuating wirell is again energized and the contactor 3 is finally closed. Closing of the contactor 8 opens the auxiliary switch 13 and prevents further operation of contacts cooperating with each contactor eX- the notching relay mechanism. It will be seen from the foregoing that the contactors L, 1, 2 and 3 will close in succession automatically' under the control. of the notching relay mechanism and subject to the current limit provided'by the coil 21 and to the time limit introduced by the dash-pots forming part of the relay mechanism.

It is, of course, to be understood that my invention maybe embodied in a great variety of control systems, and that the notching relay mechanism which I have shown may be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit of my "invention as defined by the fol owing claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the'Uni-ted States, is,

' 1. In, combination, a plurality con-- tactors, two actuating circuits leading to alternate contactors, normally open switch When this occurs, the

his; and. closed by said contactorsin closing loca ed in the actuating circuit of the succeeding centactor, and a relay n1echanisin for energizing said actuating circuits alternately comprising two sets or" switch contacts one ioca ted. in each ofsaid actuating circuits, a magnet for opening each of said switch contacts each magnet having its coil connected in series with the other switch contacts, and a switch mechanism actuated bysaid magnets "for completing the circuit through the coils of said magnets alternately.

2. In combination, a plurality of con tactors, two actuating circuits leading to alternate contactors, normally open switch contacts cotiperatin g with each contactor except the last and closed by said contactors in closing located in the actuating circuit of the succeeding contactor, and a relay mech--' anism for energizing" saidactuating circuits alternately comprising two sets of switch contacts one located in each of said actuating circuits, a magnet for opening each of said switch contacts-each magnet having its coil connected in. switch contacts, and a switch mechanism series with the other actuated by said magnets for opening the circuit through the coil ofone magnet and closing a connection in the circuit through the coil of the other magnet alternately.

3. In combination 'ith a power circuit, a plurality of contactors intended for operation in succession to eliect'c'ertain conned tions in said power circuit tw'o" actuating circuits leading to alternat e contactors, a normally open switch coiiperating. with each contactor except the last and closedby said cont-actors in closing'located in the actuat-ing circuit of the succeeding contactor, and a relay mechanism for energizing said actuating circuits alternately comprising two sets R'Qf switch contacts one located in each of said actuating circuits, a magnet for opening each of said switch contacts each magnet having its coil connected in series with the other switch contacts, a magnet energizedfrom the pOWercircuit for controlling the closing of said switch contacts, and

a switch mechanism actuated by said first mentioned magnetsfor closing connections in' the circuits through the coils of said magnets alternately.

4;. In combination with a power circuit, a plurality of contactorsj intended for operation in succession to effect certain conncctions in said power circuit, two actuating circuits leading to alternate, cont'actors, a

normally open switch cooperating with each contactor except the last and closed by said contactors in closing-located in the actuating ating circuits alternately comprising two sets of normally closed switch contacts one in series with the other switch contacts, a

third magnet energized from the power circuit for controlling the closing of said switch contacts, and a switch mechanism actuated by each of said first mentioned magnets for opening the circuit through the coil of the energized magnet and closing a connection through the ,coil or" the other magnet. v

5. A- relay mechanism comprising two sets of'normally closed switch contacts, a magnet for opening each of said switch'contacts, each magnet having its coil connected in series'with the other switch contacts, and a switch mechanism operatedby each magnet for opening aconnection in the circuit through that magnet and for closing a con nection in the circuit throughthe other magnet, whereby circuits through said magnets will be completed alternately.

6', relay mechanismcomprising two sets of normally closed switch contacts, two-actuating coils each connected in series with one of the sets of switch contacts, a movable core of magnetic material cotiperating'with each actuating coil and operatively connected to- ,the switch contacts in the circuit of the other actuating coil whereby energization of one actuating coil efiects opening of the contacts in. the circuit of the other actuating coil, a switch mechanism having two positions in which it closes contacts in circuit with one or the other of said actuating coils, and an operating connection between said cores and said switch mechanism whereby each core in its movement in response to the ene gization of its actuating coil throws said switch mechanism to the position in which it interrupts the circuit through its actuating coil and completes the circuit through the other actuating coil:

7. A relaymechanism compr ingtwo sets of normally closed switch co a magnet for opening each of said s, nch contacts, each coil having its magnet connected in series with the other switch contacts, a third magnet for controlling the closing of said switch contacts, and a switch mechanisn operated by each of the first mentioned mag nets for opening a connection in the circuit through that magnet and for closing a connection through the circuit of the other magnet whereby circuits through said magnets will be completed alternately.

8. A relay mechanism comprising two setsof normally closed switch contacts, two actuating COIlS each connected in series with one of the sets of switch contacts, a movable core of magnetlc material cocperating with each actuating coil and operatively connected to the switch contacts in the circuit of the other actuating coil whereby energization of one actuating coil eil'ects opening of ating coil, a third magnet coiiperating with said movable-cores and arranged to control the closing of. said switch contacts, a switch mechanism having two positions in which re, pectively it closes contacts in circuit with one 1' the other of said actuating coils, and an operating connection between said cores and said switch .mechanism. whereby each core in its movement in response to the encrgization oh. its actuating coil throws said switch meclianism'to the position in which it interrupts the circuit through said a'ctuat mg coil and completes a clrcult through the other actuating coil.

9. In va relay mechanism, two actuating magnet coils, movable-cores of magnetic material cocperating therewith, normally closed switch contacts openeil by said cores in their initial movement in re ponse to the energization of said actuating coils, a switch mechanism actuated by said movable cores in their final movement and having two positions in which respectively it completes a connection in circuit with one or the other of said actuating coils, and retarding devices for retarding the final movement of said cores in response to the energization of said actuating coils.

10. In a relay mechanism, a plurality of actuating magnet coils, movable cores of magnetic material cocperating therewith, switches operated by said cores in their movement, another magnet arranged to affeet said cores comprising a magnetic winding and magnetic circuits including a common air gap and -means for varving said air gap.

11. In relay mechanism, a pair of actuating magnet coils, movablecores of magnetic material cofiperating therewith, switches operated by said corcsin their movement, a third magnet between said magnets arranged to afi'ect said cores comprising a magnetic winding and two magnetic circuits having a common branch including an air gap, and means for varying said gap.

- 12.111 a relay mechanism, a plurality of axtuating' magnet coils, movable cores of -iagnetic material. cooperating therewith, switches operated by said cores in their movement, another magnet arranged to. affeet said cores comprising amagnetic winding and magnetic circuits having a common magnetic core in said winding and including an air gap and means for varying said ait: L

the contacts inthe circuit of the other actu-- material cooperating with each of said coiis, the path through said coil, and switches at:- a third magnet coil located between the other tuated by said cores in their movement.

two coils and cooperating with both of said In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set cores, two substantially parallel bars of my hand this 11th day of August 1910.

magnetic-material between which the three EUGENE R. .CARICHOFF. coils are arranged, a third core of magnetic Witnesses: I material adjustable Within said third men- BENJAMIN B. HULL,

tioned coil for regulating the reluctance of HELEN 031mm). 

